If you’ve never worked in the marketing world before, affiliate marketing can seem like a strange field. You see advertisements or promotions for products on websites, and then if you click through to the source of that promotion, you get another advertisement offering some kind of commission program. But what does that mean? And how do you get involved in something like this? If this sounds like your first introduction to affiliate marketing, don’t worry – you’re not alone. It’s an industry that has grown significantly over the past decade, and one that more and more marketers have begun using as a way to monetize their websites. In fact, many digital marketers consider affiliate marketing a ‘best practice’ for beginners precisely because it is so simple to get started and requires minimal upfront costs.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is the art of earning commissions by recommending products or services to your audience. As an affiliate, you earn a commission for each product or service that your audience purchases. Affiliate marketing is a very simple business model where you earn commission from products that you promote as an affiliate. For example, if you write a guest post on a blog about the best cameras, and you link to the top camera on Amazon, you’ll receive a commission for any sales that Amazon generates from the click-through of your link. You’ll also earn a commission for any other cameras that people purchase after clicking through your link and then returning to Amazon. Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize your blog or website without ever having to stock inventory or deal with customers. You simply write content about a product or service and use your links to connect your readers with the suppliers of those items.
How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?
To get started, you’ll want to sign up as an affiliate for one of the many affiliate marketing networks. These are digital marketplaces that allow businesses to connect with affiliates. Once you’re signed up, you’ll create a profile that includes a short description of your site and your contact information. Then you’ll want to find the products or services you want to promote. Once you’ve found products you want to promote, you’ll want to create posts on your blog that include links to those products. You can also create YouTube videos or podcasts and include affiliate links in the description or show notes. Now, every time someone clicks through your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a commission.
Why Beginners Should Start With Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is great for beginners because it doesn’t require any significant startup investment. You can get started with just your computer, a website, and an account on an affiliate network. Affiliate marketing is also great for beginners because it’s very scalable. Once you create a couple of posts and link to some products, you can simply repeat that process over and over. This is especially true if you are writing reviews of products. You can simply write a review of one product and then simply copy and paste that review into your review of other products. Affiliate marketing is also great for beginners because it’s a highly passive income. Once you’ve signed up for an affiliate network and applied to promote a product or service, you simply need to wait for customers to click through your affiliate link and make a purchase. Affiliate marketing doesn’t require you to constantly be on the lookout for new customers. Instead, it allows you to sit back and wait for customers to find you.
The Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners
– Amazon Associates: Amazon is easily one of the most popular affiliate marketing programs available. With Amazon Associates, you’ll earn a commission of up to 10% on all sales that are driven to Amazon through your links. As a beginner, Amazon is also one of the most lenient affiliate marketing networks. You’ll get access to their simple tracking system, which allows you to track sales, referrals, and product reviews. Once you’ve made your first sale, Amazon will pay you with a check about one month later. – Commission Junction: Commission Junction is one of the largest affiliate networks online. With your account on Commission Junction, you’ll have access to thousands of different affiliate programs. These programs will allow you to promote almost any kind of product or service imaginable. Once you’ve applied to a few programs, you can easily track your progress and see which programs are driving the most traffic to your site. – eCommerce Affiliate Marketing: eCommerce affiliate marketing is one of the most popular affiliate marketing methods. With eCommerce affiliate marketing, you’ll promote products that are already for sale on an eCommerce site. With a website like Shopify, you can quickly set up a storefront and begin promoting products right away. eCommerce affiliate marketing is a great way to test the waters of affiliate marketing. With Shopify, you can set up your site and begin promoting products right away with very little investment.
Bottom Line
Affiliate marketing is an easy way to earn money while doing what you love. If you enjoy blogging or creating content, you can simply write reviews of products or services and link to them through your posts on your website or social media accounts. If you enjoy podcasting, you can create your own products and link to them through your podcast episodes. There are endless ways to get started with affiliate marketing. It’s a great way for beginners to begin building an online income and a great way to earn extra cash while you are in college.
